Pennsylvania’s fiscal year begins July 1 and ends June 30, yet it is rare that the General Assembly implements the new fiscal year’s state budget by July 1st. Every day that the budget is delayed, schools, healthcare, social services, nonprofits, and other essential services and organizations are denied the funding they need to provide for our residents and communities. These organizations and entities are often forced to either incur debt to continue functioning or shutter services until funding is secured.
 
While the Pennsylvania Constitution requires that the state budget must be balanced, there is not a current law that provides measures to ensure a budget is passed on time. Therefore, I am introducing the following two-bill package:
 

• The first bill would amend The Administrative Code to require that, if the General Assembly does not pass the state budget by June 30, then it must remain in session each weekday after June 30th until the budget is passed. 
• The second bill would amend the Pennsylvania Constitution to require the governor to call a special session if a general appropriations bill is not enacted by June 30th. 

It is our public responsibility to ensure that our schools, public service entities, and communities receive the essential funding they need in a timely manner to prevent debt and the interruption of critical programs and services. Please join me in supporting these efforts to hold ourselves and our colleagues accountable in performing our civic duty to pass a state budget on time.